47°
On Monday, Oct. 15, at the Selectmen’s meeting, the chairman of the Finance Committee gave a speech criticizing the Mitchell team's plan to build a new DPW complex at either the sewer department land off Providence Road or on the existing Fletcher Street site.
The cost for the garage, storage space, workers spaces, salt shed and wash building would be $1.8 million. He voiced this criticism after he and the DPW director pointed out that they thought that it was a great opportunity to buy a used building that requires extensive renovations and is inadequate, other than size, for a total cost of $3.1 million. He then took his ball and went home rather than stay, listen to our proposal and then enter into a discussion.
The citizens of Northbridge should be asking why they should be spending more and getting less..
You deserve better.
The citizens of Northbridge should also start wondering why so much effort has been put into defeating a viable project for $1.8 million to take on a substandard one for $3.1 million. Why is there resistance to working with the private citizens who put forward a plan for a new, modern building by providing professional services at no cost to the town?
They say it’s because we didn’t provide “quotes” when we had six bids for the building, which everyone from the town manager, finance chair, BPCC and the DPW director are aware of. We also have secured an actual construction bid from a contractor for building our latest design.
No plan has the remediation costs for the Fletcher Street site so that cost item is not part of any solution at this time.
Our $1.8 million proposal has more space to house the same number of vehicles as the two 19,000 square foot buildings-one for 3.1 million and one for 8.5 million.
Our plan has free, open space to back vehicles in without the worry of columns, as does the HKT plan (for $8.5 million) but the Douglas road building has columns within the vehicle storage space.
Our proposal has 10 doors of adequate size for the vehicles, HKT’s also (at a cost of $8.5 million) but Douglas road has five and even with renovations to the front elevation, which will require major structural revamping, will only have six.
Our plan allows two deep parking with plows attached, HKT allows two deep without plows (for $8.5 million) and Douglas Road with only six doors must have truck movement within the building. Movement required, not only because of the lack of door access, but also because of the columns which will require bollards around them diminishing the usable space even more.
The remainder of our costs, added to the $1 million for the building, were put together by professional engineers and estimators for a total of 1.8 million.
HKT’s total cost is $8.5 million by professional engineers and estimators.
As stated by the DPW director, the Douglas Road total cost of $3.1 million was put together by a retired architect and the DPW director, who has offered to sign a document that the cost will not go over that amount. The renovations have not been specified in any detail, so this number is essentially meaningless at this time.
The choice is now up to the citizens of Northbridge. Please don’t just listen to the rhetoric.
Ask questions, seek answers and then vote for the best proposal for the town.
As someone who has been involved in the pro-bono process from day one, I am stunned by the continued negative attacks.
I have served the town on Northbridge for over 35 years, including as a Selectman, and I am asking you to vote yes on article 17 at the town meeting, October 23 and take back your town.
Jack Davis
Whitinsville
Comments (4)
Jack,
I know we don't see eye to eye on everything but I truely appeciate the effort that you and others have put into this issue.
In spite of last nights set back I for one hope that your group continues to work towards a resolution of this issue, Judging by the lack of rationale displayed by the people pushing the Douglas Rd. proposal I believe you may be the only ones out there capable of doing so.
Thank You!
J.A.G.
The proposal that is going to go up for vote is the worst proposal to date. $3.1 Million in direct costs plus and additional $1.5 to $2 million in lost revenues from removing that site from the tax rolls. Then you can add in the inefficiencies of running the same operation out of two locations...................it just keeps adding up.
And for the residents of Castle Hill who believe Mr. Shuris that all of the off hours operations will only occur on Fletcher St. in the winter .............................LOL.
Ask your selves and Mr. Shuris. Where will the repair facility be located? Where do you think the drivers will take breaks and want to go to the bathroom etc...? In the old pit on Fletcher St. or in the new digs on Douglas Rd. ? What will happen in the event of flooding, Hurricanes and other natural disasters? Will all of those operations be out of Fletcher St. too?
Douglas Road is not the answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack, you have said what I was hoping our Town Fathers should have said a long time ago. This whole process is ridiculous! Don't get me wrong, I believe there should be a process in place. It's almost like egoes are getting in the way of common sense. You have served the town well over the years, and I'm hoping the people will read your post and realize that the Providence Road site is the perfect alternative for a DPW site.
A two-thumbs up to you Jack and to your team for thinking of the taxpayers of this town and coming forth with the only plan we should be voting for on Tuesday night, period! You have my vote.